Arnold Payne Five Steps to Maximizing Your Performance and Preventing Injuries in Sport for Young Athletes

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Arnold Payne A Is for Athlete

• Arnold Payne Certified tips provider. This is the
  first in a series of articles that start with the
  letters of the alphabet as they pertain to
  Triathlon Training. The first of these articles
  is entitled "A is for Athlete.

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One of the most amazing things about the title
Athlete is you often think about professional
athletes as being the only ones who are really
due the this title. I know that when I see
someone who is a professional athlete do an
amazing play or shot, I marvel at their skill and
silently acknowledge that I could never do that.
When I first began into triathlon, it was a way
to conjure up those old feelings of
competitiveness, but I did not consider myself an
athlete per se. I mean how in the world could I
walk around with the title of Athlete with a
"tire" around my belly and no trophies to really
show for it. When I was high school, I played
sports such as football and golf. I considered
myself an athlete of some sort. I felt like I was
strong, young, and athletic. As I got older and I
put on the weight I put on, I felt nothing like
an athlete. I did not have the same feelings of
competition or drive. I ultimately saw myself as
getting old and further and further away from the
picture I had in my mind of an athlete. Arnold
Payne Specialized tips provider. I was reminded
while watching this year's season of The Biggest
Loser that in fact I can be an athlete at any
age. If I am pursuing an athletic endeavor then
surely I am an athlete. If I am going about my
business to train and compete then I am an
athlete. I may be an amateur athlete, but I am an
athlete nonetheless. I may be an old athlete at
age 40, but I am an athlete. I think this is one
area of triathlon that needs to be emphasized
more. If you compete in a triathlon and you come
in first or last you have competed in an athletic
endeavor and are to be considered an athlete.
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I think if more people realized that they were an
athlete that they might feel better about their
pursuit of their competitive goals. I know that
I have really focused myself this year to
competing in my upcoming races by getting in the
top of my age group. I realize that this goal is
difficult and not everyone can do it. I also
realize that I have to train effectively, eat
right, and mentally have my game right to really
compete. I feel better about all of this action
while saying I am an athlete.